Augustusburg and Falkenlust Palaces, Brühl
Brühl · Surrounding area of Cologne
Two early-rococo palaces in Brühl, connected by the Schlosspark and a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1984.
since 1768
The Augustusburg and Falkenlust Palaces make up a historical building complex in Brühl, North Rhine-Westphalia. The two palaces are connected by the gardens and trees of the Schlosspark and have held UNESCO World Heritage status since 1984.
Source: Wikipedia
At a Glance
- Type
- Complex of two palaces with surrounding gardens
- Location
- Brühl, North Rhine-Westphalia; Falkenlust lies roughly one mile southeast of Augustusburg
- Built
- Early 18th century (Augustusburg from 1725; Falkenlust 1729–1740)
- Style
- Early rococo
- Recognition
- UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1984
- Use today
- Augustusburg and its parks host the Brühl Palace Concerts
Age comparison
Age compared with other places in Cologne.
Origins
Augustusburg Palace rose in 1725 on the foundations of a medieval castle. It was commissioned and financed by Clemens August of Bavaria, Archbishop-Elector of Cologne and a member of the Wittelsbach family. The design came from the architects Johann Conrad Schlaun and François de Cuvilliés. Cuvilliés went on to plan the Falkenlust hunting lodge to the southeast, intended for Clemens August to pursue falconry.
Architecture
The main block of Augustusburg is a U-shaped building with three principal storeys and two levels of attics, its brick wings finished in roughcast plaster. Two orangeries adjoin the main building on its north and south sides. Inside, Johann Balthasar Neumann designed the main staircase in marble, jasper and stucco. Falkenlust follows the form of a country home and drew on the Amalienburg lodge at Nymphenburg Palace; its two-storey main building is flanked by single-storey wings that held the prince-elector's falcons, and an oval salon sits on the ground floor.
Gardens
Dominique Girard laid out the gardens around Augustusburg. The main garden directly south of the palace is an embroidery-like parterre with four fountains and a mirror pool, bordered by alleys of lime trees, from which a path runs diagonally toward Falkenlust. A parterre planned for a further area to the south was reworked by Peter Joseph Lenné in the 19th century into a landscape garden.
Later Use
Because of its proximity to Bonn, then capital of the Federal Republic of Germany, Augustusburg served as a reception hall for state guests of the German President from shortly after the Second World War until 1994.
Gallery
Map
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Sources & links
Auto-generated, last verified: 2026-06-30
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